Bedtime Stories
by PoppetGranger
Summary: Chloe Diggory gets a great bedtime story from her father that she enjoys quite a lot.


"Daddy, can I have a bedtime story. Ooh, tell me about the Triwizard Tournament," Chloe smiled up at her father and into his gray, stormy eyes as she sat on his lap. Cedric started to tell the story but was completely unaware that his wife was listing right next to the door. She smiled as she rested her brown curls against the side of the door.

"Well, a young and hansom boy of about seventeen decided that he was going to enter the tournament. He did and got picked. Then he had to face a dragon for the first task, rarwww," Cedric smiled down at Chloe as he made claws with his hands and growled. Chloe laughed as Cedric proceeded to tickle her. Hermione suppressed her beams of joy at her beautiful child and loving husband.

"The hero defeated the dragon and was rewarded for his brave efforts," Cedric continued once Chloe was calmed down.

Chloe interrupted her father to ask the first question of many that she asked during story time. "What did he get? Was it a present?"

"Kind of," Cedric smiled remembering his oh - so - special - present. Hermione stood at the door remember that same present that she had given to her fairytale prince all those years ago.

"What type of present," Chloe asked, intending to press the subject until her father told her?

"A beautiful kiss," he smiled," binding the hero to his intelligent beauty forever."

"What a stupid present," Chloe said arms crossed," that's gross."

Cedric laughed remember those times when he found girls gross too, who was he kidding; he always had a thing for ladies. Especially Hermione. "You won't think boys are so icky in a few years and I'll cry," Cedric dreaded the thought of it even as he smiled. But how could he not. Chloe was so beautiful and just like her mother. She was so smart and stubborn but the kindest person you'd ever meet.

Chloe grabbed her father's chin softly and turned it towards her," I love you daddy and I'll never leave you!"

Hermione felt a tear of joy drop from her eyes. She loved Chloe with all her heart. She would die for her. Chloe was so much like Cedric. She had his hair and his wit. But Chloe's eyes were all her own. A pretty forest green. They were so captivating just like Cedric's. But Cedric continued the story and she stopped her thoughts.

"But he got another present," Cedric continued," but this one he hated! It was a golden egg. But the egg made a horrid screeching noise."

"Like this," Chloe said enthusiastically before she screeched with a smile on her face. Cedric burst out laughing covering his ears until she stopped.

"Yeah," he replied cautiously lowering his fingers.

"Then what happened," Chloe asked?

"Well it turns out that the screaming was actually a mermaid singing to the man," said Cedric," but the mermaid sang of how she stole the hero's most prized possession, his love."

Hermione grinned; she liked being reminded of how special she was to Cedric. It made her feel safe and loved.

"But the hansom man didn't know that his love was the treasure of which the mermaid spoke," Cedric exclaimed with a dramatic gasp. Chloe's eyes brightened as she copied Cedric's gasp.

"So the hansom hero worried all day about his love and wondered why she wasn't there to see him off," Cedric explained," little did he know that she was tied up at the bottom of a dark and eerie lake."

"With scary monsters and sharks," she gasped and Hermione could see her daughter tighten her arms around Cedric's shoulders.

"Yes, but the man fought bravely and rescued his woman," Cedric exclaimed, seeming proud of himself.

"Did she give him another kiss," asked Chloe with uncertainty.

"Yes," Cedric replied looking at her skeptically," but I thought that was gross." Cedric emphasized the word gross and rolled his eyes.

"It is," said Chloe quick to defend herself," but I didn't want you to leave any part of the story out."

"Okay," Cedric said with a look on his face that convinced Chloe that he believed her but Hermione knew him all to well. He didn't believe their daughter one bit. But he continued on anyway.

"Then the third and final task arrived," Cedric said with more mystery, for this was the part where he really started to get into the story," his love was a nervous wreck when she came to see him before the task. She cried and whispered bonding words of love and words of safety. He told her not to worry. But she couldn't help it. She was in love." He hugged Chloe tight as he recalled those few moments they'd shared in the tent.

"Was the hero okay," Chloe asked with a bit of fright in her eyes.

"You wouldn't want me to ruin the story," Cedric smiled.

"No but I can tell he's okay," she said easily settling back down in his lap. This reminded Cedric of Hernione. Not because Cedric's lap was Hermione's favorite spot, for various reasons. But because of the way Chloe answered. So sure of herself in a way that was defiantly Hermione.

Cedric picked up Chloe and grabbed her hand as her started to run her around the room. Still not noticing Hermione in the corner. "Ce-," Cedric started to talk then stopped himself," the hansom guy ran through the maze in search of the cup and his ticket back to his love. He leapt over the monstrous hedges and ran very close to his goal. Then his bewitched friend-"

"Cedric stop it," Hermione scolded as she came over and took Chloe from Cedric and placed her in her bed," don't scare her right before bedtime."

"Daddy, was it Scott who tried to hurt you," asked Chloe from under her covers.

"No," Cedric answered, brow furrowing," how did you know that story was about me?"

"I know you daddy,' she answered as she yawned and drifted into a deep sleep.

"'Night luv," he smiled as he bent over and kissed her on the cheek.


End file.
